Whether you are filing for International protection at the EUIPO or the EPO, or for national rights in Germany or the UK, Meissner Bolte’s teams are ideally placed to assist!
At present, the UKIPO accepts any Address for Service that is within the EEA; this Rule looks set to change next year, as the UK government recently announced plans to alter the legislation as to what constitutes a valid Address for Service for UK IP cases.
Assuming that the UK Government’s plans proceed in a timely manner: from 1st January 2021, it will be necessary to provide an Address for Service in the UK, Gibraltar or the Channel Islands for all new matters arising before the UKIPO. This means that from 1 January 2021 all new applications and contentious issues before the UKIPO will require an Address for Service within the UK, Gibraltar or Channel Islands. This will also be relevant to the UK part of a granted EP Patent.
It will not be necessary to provide such an Address within the UK, Gibraltar or Channel Islands for the payment of renewal fees nor for cases which are already pending before the UKIPO on 1st January 2021. Additionally, for at least the first three years after Brexit, the newly cloned UK IP rights derived from EU rights, will not require a UK, Gibraltar or Channel Island Address for Service – one expects that in 2024, this may change.
Meissner Bolte is a one-stop organisation covering all of your needs:
Meissner Bolte has offices throughout Germany as well as an office in the UK. Our UK team of Chartered UK & European Trade Mark & Patent Attorneys as well as our fully-trained paralegals are ready to assist you in all UK IP cases, meaning that Meissner Bolte can continue seamlessly providing you with full IP services across the EU, Germany and in the UK.
If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact us!
Meissner Bolte (UK) Limited | 4a Top Land Country Business Park Cragg Vale, Hebden Bridge | HX7 5RW, United Kingdom
T +44-1422-84 45 98 | F +44-1422-84 52 89 | E-mail: mail@meissnerbolte.co.uk
Meissner Bolte | Widenmayerstrasse 47 | 80538 Munich, Germany
T +49-89-21 21 86-0 | F +49-89-21 21 86-70 | E-mail: mail@mb.de
Changes to Address for Service Rules at the UKIPO(PDF)